But for all of us, there will be a time when our grandparents leave us.

And eventually, the time will come when you are suddenly, putting it simply, grandparent-less.

It’s been four years since my grandad died of a heart attack aged 90. Three years before that my grandpa and nana on Dad’s side died a year apart from each other.

My granny on my mum’s side had already died when I was two.

As a 24-year-old, I’ve come to realise in that time that I’m in a bit of an unusual position for my age. It’s probably because my parents had children comparatively late, but most of my friends still seem to have at least one or two left.

Here are 11 things I have learnt and felt in that time that people whose grandparents have died will also probably know.

1) You can’t help but envy your friends when they go see their grandparents

Their university breaks were spent visiting Scotland, or Yorkshire and going out for pub lunches or teas with their granny and grandad.

Yours were spent at home, continuing life as normal. You can’t help but feel a bit sad about how that isn’t something that’s part of your life anymore.

2) Christmases in particular are very strange

‘It’s just us now’ (Picture: Getty)

You may have grown up spending all your Christmas Days at your grandpa and nana’s house. For me, getting up at the crack of dawn, packing up the car and heading up the (very empty) motorway to Yorkshire to visit my grandparents was just how Christmas started.

So the first few Christmases without that routine where you just spend the day with your parents and siblings, or aunts and uncles might feel a bit strange. Almost as if you’re at a loose end.

3) It gets harder to see your other family

What grandparents are really good at is uniting the family. Some of your best memories of the whole family might have been sitting round a big table with your grandma or grandpa at the centre of them all.

Now they’re gone it gets harder to bring everyone in the same place. You may even only get to see them as big occasions. Like weddings.

4) And then you feel sad that your grandparents will never see your wedding

But they will be there in spirit (Illustration by mmuffin for Metro)

About a month before my grandad died, my cousin got married. There was something lovely and touching about the fact he got to see that before passing away.

But being only 19, there was no way I was going to get married anytime soon, so it means unfortunately he will never be at mine.

At 90 years old, there was a good chance he would have never seen my wedding anyway arguably – I’m in my mid-twenties and very far away from being in a relationship serious enough to lead to marriage.

But people in a similar situation will know there’s a small part of you that imagined it might happen. One day.

5) And your children will never have them as great-grandparents

If you were like me, then again perhaps you didn’t have great-grandparents either.

But it’s sad that your kids won’t get the opportunity to at least meet them.

6) You regret what a bratty teenager you were

(Picture: Getty)

God. Teenagers are awful, aren’t they?

It really does make you cringe looking back at all the tantrums and ice-cold shoulders you threw at your family. Over what? Because family visits meant you couldn’t see your (now ex. Awkwardly) boyfriend or girlfriend, or miss out going to that party?

So silly.

Losing the people you love and looking back on how much of the time you spent moaning about going to visit your grandparents really does bring on the feelings of guilt.

7) And the questions you should have asked, but never did.

Your gran or grandpa have decades of useful experience behind them. When they’re still there, it’s basically at your fingertips.

There are so many questions you should ask. Like what life was really like in the swinging 60s, and how on earth they made it 70 years together when you can’t hold down a relationship for more than a year?

All unanswered now.

8) So you try to find any possible link or connection to them

Out of sheer coincidence, I ended up going to university in the same town where my grandad lived. As did my sister a year after me.

Reading about Nottingham, living and breathing Nottingham, reading books by authors who’d been and written about Nottingham somehow helped me feel connected to my grandad and his life here even though he was gone.

My grandad in Nottingham, many decades ago. 70 years later both his granddaughters would go to university there (Picture: Emily Shackleton)

9) The memories you had with them become really important

Life really is short. You know this now.

You appreciate the memories you made with your grandparents – whether it was being taught how to ride a bike, solving puzzles or playing board games with them.

Or even just that really nice cuppa and chat you had once that has always stood out as really lovely.

10) You get closer to your parents

It’s a time to support each other (Picture: Getty)

Losing your grandparents might be your first brush with death and grief if you’re young.

And without meaning to sound morbid, the thought that your parents could be, well, next, does cross your mind. Even if briefly.

You’ve got to remember also that they’ve just lost their own parents, so they’ll need your support too as much as you need theirs.

The importance of spending time with them and visiting more often is never more clear. And vowing to never forget Mother’s Day ever again.

11) In the end, you’ve probably grown up a bit too

It’s not just your parents or siblings you grow more appreciative of – it’s everyone in your life.

Arguments and drama – just wasted breath.

Time is best creating those special memories rather than shouting at each other, right?